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DeMatha PG Peterson to Princeton

Posted on by in Ivy League, News/Slant, Penn, Princeton, Recruiting

Princeton joined the recent parade of Ivy League verbal commitments when, according to Scout.com, point guard Jeff Peterson of DeMatha Catholic High School became the first publicly known member of the Tigers’ 2007 recruiting class. The 5-11 guard backed up Virginia Tech’s Nigel Munson at point guard his first two seasons at DeMatha, then moved over to shooting guard to start alongside Munson this past year. Peterson is known as an excellent defender who has worked hard on his outside shooting. He is the third point guard to commit to an Ivy League school this fall, joining Harrison Gaines (Penn) and Porter Braswell (Yale).

SoCal wing Bernardini chooses Penn

Posted on by in Columbia, Ivy League, News/Slant, Penn, Recruiting

Wednesday’s Daily Pennsylvanian broke the news of Tyler Bernardini’s commitment to Penn. The 6-6 wing from the Francis Parker School in San Diego, CA, had received early interest from Arizona State, an offer from San Diego State, and had visited Columbia this past weekend. According to the Daily Pennsylvanian piece, he also had been hearing from Northwestern and Cal prior to committing to the Quakers. In an article from this summer, Scout.com rates Bernardini “among the better shooting small forwards in the West for 2007.” He joins fellow Southern Californian Harrison Gaines in Glen Miller’s recruiting class.

Dartmouth gets first 2007 commitment in Weeden

Posted on by in Dartmouth, Ivy League, News/Slant, Recruiting

Scout.com reports Northfield Mount Hermon big man Clive Weeden has committed to Terry Dunn’s Big Green after narrowing his list to Dartmouth and Quinnipiac. Weeden is a lunch pail guy who outworks opponents in the post, defends and rebounds well, and does the things on offense that tend to go unnoticed like screening and running the floor. Northfield Mount Hermon coach John Carroll praised his player’s dramatic improvement, telling Scout.com that “[Weeden’s] game has skyrocketed.”

SG Raffi Mantilla verbals to Yale

Posted on by in Brown, Dartmouth, Ivy League, News/Slant, Princeton, Recruiting, Yale

Yale coach James Jones picked up his second commitment this week when Raffi Mantilla of Mundelein High School in Mundelein, IL, announced his decision to attend Yale. According to ChicagoHoops.com, Mantilla visited New Haven this past weekend and immediately committed to the Bulldogs, canceling visits to Brown and Princeton. The 6-3 shooting guard also had garnered interest from Dartmouth. Mantilla hails from the same suburban Chicago high school that produced former Harvard big man Graham Beatty, though Mundelein is coming off a very rough 6-22 campaign last season.

6-11 Zack Crimmins commits to Columbia

Posted on by in Bucknell, Columbia, Ivy League, Lafayette, News/Slant, Recruiting

Center Zack Crimmins of Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, VA, will play at Columbia next fall, choosing the Lions over scholarship offers from Bucknell and Lafayette. The 6-11 Crimmins received preliminary interest from high major programs Notre Dame and Virginia and the Washington Post reported late interest from Boston College and Tulane on September 27. However, his choices came down to an Ivy League school and two Patriot League schools. Crimmins is Columbia’s first reported recruit for the 2006-07 season.